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Brad Pitt opens F1: The Movie as Sonny Hayes, a former racer dragged back into the world he once ruled before it nearly killed him. He’s not the fearless star he used to be as time and a brutal accident stripped that away. Now, he’s back mentoring a young driver with raw talent and has something to prove.
F1 is apparently not your usual slick sports drama. The film, directed by Joseph Kosinski, blends fiction with fragments of reality pulled straight from Formula One’s blood-stained history. There, the tracks are real and so are the cars, pit crews and most importantly, the energy of live races.
Sonny Hayes Is Based On Real F1 Driver Martin Donnelly
Brad Pitt’s character Sonny’s background is actually inspired by real-life events. His character is based on Martin Donnelly, a British driver whose career ended in a horrific accident in 1990, per History.com. During a race practice in Spain, Donnelly hit a barrier at 176 miles per hour. The vehicle shattered, and Donnelly’s body flew onto the track. The horrific accident left him crushed and battered, but he was fortunate enough to remain alive after spending months in a coma.
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#OTD in 1990 Martin Donnelly was lucky to survive this horrific 140mph crash, he suffered serious head injuries and broken legs. #F1 pic.twitter.com/jML6S5w7tv
— F1 Images (@F1_Images) September 28, 2016
To add depth and realism, F1: The Movie incorporates digitally altered footage from Donnelly’s crash. It’s not just for drama, but it captures the harsh reality of how dangerous Formula One really is.
Joshua Pearce’s Crash Echoes Romain Grosjean And Niki Lauda
Joshua, the rookie, played opposite Pitt and endured a fiery crash that mirrors two major F1 incidents. Romain Grosjean’s 2020 crash in Bahrain is a clear influence, in which he remained trapped inside his vehicle for nearly half a minute following his car’s explosion. But miraculously, he managed to climb out with just minor burns on his hands and feet, per Esquire. There’s also a nod to Niki Lauda’s 1976 accident, which left him severely burned after inhaling toxic fumes.
F1: The Movie Balances Speed With Real Risk
The film doesn’t shy away from the fatal reminder that in this sport, behind every win, there’s risk, and behind every race, there’s the possibility that it could be someone’s last. As of now, F1: The Movie races ahead as a sharp summer hit. However, it leaves something lingering once the screen fades, a realization that in Formula One, victory and tragedy aren’t far apart. In most cases, they’re separated by only one corner.
F1 The Movie Trailer
For more such updates, check out Hollywood News
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